Incised brown ground base marks on Chinese Porcelain

In this section we have tried to trace down the incised brown ground base marks on Chinese Porcelain. One would think there would have been at least one of those marks published in any book on Chinese porcelain book published around the 1870's until the end of the Qing dynasty but, so far I have failed to find one.

Exactly when this kind of marks first started to be used is actually not known. Traditionally the "Guangxu" period (1875-1908) is given as the starting point, and that assumption has been followed by us in suggesting dates for individual pieces here and on other places on this site.

When looking for reference pieces of porcelain it seems like the feature of adding brown etched sections or borders to the enamel decoration begins at the earliest during the Tongzhi 1862-74 period. From this period I have seen vases with enamels and broad bands of brown etched decoration in the shape of roof tiles, adding a three dimensional aspect to the decoration.

Somewhat later, and I feel pretty sure this is during the early Guangxu period, we get brown etched borders with quatrefoil/ruyi medallions inserted, and it is from this period I personally think we have the first brown etched marks. Some of them say Chenghua and a few seems to say Kangxi. The idea of falling back to these two periods were very much in vogue during the Empress Dowager's period from the 1860s to the first decade of the 20th century, which probably is the starting period of this mark.

Decorations with brown etched parts such as borders, bands, animal heads and raised dragons etc are still produced and any such object can also be perfectly modern. The square brown mark itself seems to be copying the appearance of Japanese Satsuma marks who are often drawn in gold within a brown medallion, which assumption also gives us another reference for the time frame to look for.

The only firm date I am so far certain about is on one piece confirmed as having been bought in the 1940's. I would be happy for any further information on some dated pieces or any archaeological data that supports any firm date at all on these pieces.

1545. Vase with rose mandarin decoration of warriors in famille rose enamels. Incised mark: Qianlong Nian Zhi - "Qianlong Period Made". Tentatively mid 20th century due to the use of the Qianlong reign name in the mark.

610. Kangxi Nian Zhi - "Kangxi Period Made". Crackled glaze pieces with five clawed dragons surrounding the flaming pearl. Handles with plum blossoms enhanced with white enamels. On one side a crane with a baby hanging in string from its beak. Probably Republic (1912-1949) period.

616. Kangxi Nian Zhi - "Kangxi Period Made". Crackled glaze with enamels. The brown borders are typical for Guangxu period, still the agressively bright enamels indicates a late date in the period, c. 1900.

83. Chenghua Nian Zao - "Chenghua Period Made". On crackled glaze pieces with enameled decoration and often etched brown border/s similar to the mark from Guangxu period up until today. Mid 20th century or later.

898. Chenghua Nian Zao - "Chenghua Period Made". On crackled glaze pieces with enameled decoration and often etched brown border/s similar to the mark from Guangxu period up until today. Mid 20th century or later.

1392. Chenghua Nian Zao - "Chenghua Period Made". On crackled glaze pieces with enameled decoration and often etched brown border/s similar to the mark from Guangxu period up until today. Mid 20th century.

Pictures and pieces making up this section are from my personal reference collection and are not for sale. Pieces have also been donated by Simon Ng, City University of Hong Kong, N K Koh, Singapore, Hans Mueller, USA. Hans Slager, Belgium, William Turnbull, Canada and Tony Jalin Zhang, Beijing. Readers are encouraged to contribute any insights or further information you might have.

The Japanese marks section of Gotheborg.com originally came to be thanks to a donation of Japanese marks images from Karl-Hans Schneider, Euskirchen, Germany, in may 2000, that gave me a modest but nonetheless beginning. It was a kind gesture and I really appreciated that. Of the many later contributors I would especially want to mention Albert Becker, Somerset, UK, who were the first to help with some translations and comments on the Japanese marks. His work was than greatly extended by Ms. Gloria S. Garaventa after which Mr. John Avery looked into and corrected some of the dates. Most of the Satsuma marks were originally submitted by Ms. Michaela Russell, Brisbane, Australia. A section which was then greatly extended by Ian & Mary Heriot of which a large amount of information still awaits publication. A warm thank you also goes to John R. Skeens, Florida, U.S.A. and Toru Yoshikawa for the Kitagawa Togei section and to Susan Eades for her help and encouragement towards the creation of the Moriyama section. For the last full overhaul of the Satsuma and Kutani sections, thank you to Howard Reed, Australia. The most recent larger contribution was made by Lisa M. Surowiec, New Jersey, USA. In 2004 and from then on my warm thank you goes to John Wocher and Howard Reed whose knowledge and interest has sparked a new life into this section and given reason for a new overhaul. Thank you again and thank you to all I have not mentioned here, for all help and interest in and contributions to our knowledge of the 20th century Japanese porcelain.

The Chinese marks section would not have been possibly without the dedicated help of Mr. Simon Ng, City University of Hong Kong whose translations and personal efforts in researching the origin and dates of the different marks is and has been an invaluable resource. It has since been greatly extended by several contributors such as Cordelia Bay, USA, Walt Brygier, USA, Bonnie Hoffmann, Harmen Lensink, 'Tony' Yalin Zhang, Beijing and 'ScottLoar', Shanghai, and many more expert members of the Gotheborg Discussion Board.

A number of reference pieces have also been donated by Simon Ng, City University of Hong Kong, N K Koh, Singapore, Hans Mueller, USA. Hans Slager, Belgium, William Turnbull, Canada and Tony Jalin Zhang, Beijing.

All material submitted by visitors and published anywhere on this site are and remain the copyrighted property of the submitter and appears here by permission of the owner, which can be revoked at any time. All expressed opinions are my personal or those of my trusted friends and fellow experts, based on photos and the owners submitted descriptions. They are not to be used for any financial or commercial decisions but for educational and personal interest only and can and will be changed here as further information merits.

For further studies Encyclopedia Britannica is recommended in preference to Wikipedia, that besides having an ideological bias and a number of erroneous Chinese characters, is used by the fake industry to promote porcelain pieces that are not of the period stated.